Junior Dos Santos and Stipe Miocic will finally step inside the cage to battle one another this weekend at UFC on Fox 13.
No. 2-ranked heavyweight contender Dos Santos has been out of action since failing to capture the title in his trilogy fight again…
Junior Dos Santos and StipeMiocic will finally step inside the cage to battle one another this weekend at UFC on Fox 13.
No. 2-ranked heavyweight contender Dos Santos has been out of action since failing to capture the title in his trilogy fight against Cain Velasquez in October 2013. He has since joined the Nova Uniao fight team. Dos Santos will try to pick up his first win since May 2013.
Miocic, ranked No. 4 in the division, was scheduled to take on Dos Santos at The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil3 finale. An injury forced Dos Santos off the card, and Miocic squared off against Fabio Maldonado. Miocic destroyed the light heavyweight in just 35 seconds.
The heavyweight division will need a new contender for either Velasquez or Fabricio Werdum in 2015, and this fight could produce the next contender.
The main event for UFC on Fox 13 will have major ramifications in the heavyweight division. The bout will almost assuredly be exciting with their respective styles. Let’s break down the heavyweight tilt that will headline this Saturday.
Believe it or not, there are still three UFC events left in 2014.
As we draw closer to a promotional onslaught of title matches and stacked pay-per-view cards in the new year, we’re left with a handful of meaningful fights over the next few weeks.
Betw…
Believe it or not, there are still three UFC events left in 2014.
As we draw closer to a promotional onslaught of title matches and stacked pay-per-view cards in the new year, we’re left with a handful of meaningful fights over the next few weeks.
Between The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale, UFC on Fox 13 and UFC Fight Night 58, fans still have a chance to see some of the organization’s biggest names in action.
From the return of Junior Dos Santos and Nate Diaz to Lyoto Machida and the crowning of the first-ever UFC women’s strawweight champion, 2014 is sure to end with a bang.
But aside from the obvious matchups that peak our curiosity, which under-the-radar fights have the potential to steal the show?
Look no further. This is going to be a great end to the year.
Nate Diaz is back, and he most certainly has his work cut out for him.
In a lightweight throwdown that could produce the next top title threat to challenge champion Anthony Pettis, Diaz will make his return to the Octagon after a one-year absence to me…
Nate Diaz is back, and he most certainly has his work cut out for him.
In a lightweight throwdown that could produce the next top title threat to challenge champion Anthony Pettis, Diaz will make his return to the Octagon after a one-year absence to meet a red-hot Rafael dos Anjos this weekend at UFC on Fox 13.
The 155-pound tilt will serve as the co-main event, setting this one up for three very tantalizing rounds.
On paper, Diaz does have the advantage. But with an evolved striking facet and a mean streak that Matt Brown would be proud of, RDA has made huge strides in the division since Diaz last competed in 2013, notably knocking out Benson Henderson in one round back in August.
So strap in, fight fans. Here is a full head-to-toe breakdown for one of the most interesting lightweight clashes of 2014.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a busy man, given all of his bear wrestling, but he found the time to take in UFC 181 on Saturday—and he had some choice words for the lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
Following the event—at the UFC 181 media confere…
KhabibNurmagomedov is a busy man, given all of his bear wrestling, but he found the time to take in UFC 181 on Saturday—and he had some choice words for the lightweight champ Anthony Pettis.
Following the event—at the UFC 181 media conference—Nurmagomedov got his hands on a microphone and had words with the champ. What, precisely, was said is unclear, but Pettis indicated a willingness to fight the undefeated Russian.
Nurmagomedov spent a good portion of this weekend angling for a title fight. Following the press conference, he flatly said that Pettis was “scared” to fight him in an interview with MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. To Nurmagomedov‘s credit, he has maintained a steady presence in the news during a lengthy injury layoff—largely by calling out Pettis.
Speaking with the MMA Hour in September, Nurmagomedov said, “I think he [doesn’t] want this fight. I am no good for his style. My pressure, my wrestling, my top control, it’s no good for him.”
It is worth noting that Nurmagomedov does, indeed, have a strong claim to a lightweight title shot. The young man from Dagestan has effortlessly amassed a 6-0 record in the UFC, most recently dominating Rafael dos Anjos in April.
Unfortunately, while he was briefly linked to a fight with Donald Cerrone in September at UFC 178, he was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury that has kept him out of the cage since. Also unfortunately, multiple contenders have climbed into a similarly strong position—including a resurgent dos Anjos and Cerrone, as well as fellow surging youngster Myles Jury.
Still, a title fight for Nurmagomedov is certainly possible, and his timing couldn’t be better as he eyes a February 2015 return. Watch for more details to emerge regarding his title hopes in the coming weeks.
When he left the UFC in 2004, Robbie Lawler didn’t seem like a fighter who would one day be wearing a UFC belt around his waist. A decade later, he is now the best welterweight in the world.
It’s been a wild ride to the top for the new 170-pound champi…
When he left the UFC in 2004, Robbie Lawler didn’t seem like a fighter who would one day be wearing a UFC belt around his waist. A decade later, he is now the best welterweight in the world.
It’s been a wild ride to the top for the new 170-pound champion. On Saturday, Lawler finally reached his goal with a narrow decision win over Johny Hendricks, avenging a loss that he suffered in his only other UFC championship bout.
A rubber match will inevitably happen. However, there may be other options for Lawler in the short term. A rematch with Rory MacDonald appears to be a strong possibility.
Here are the matchups that should be made for Lawler, Hendricks and the rest of the UFC 181 competitors.
Jason David Frank, otherwise known as Tommy Oliver from the television show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, has officially tossed his name into the CM Punk sweepstakes.
The MMA world was left stunned Saturday night when it was revealed that Pun…
Jason David Frank, otherwise known as Tommy Oliver from the television show Mighty MorphinPower Rangers, has officially tossed his name into the CM Punk sweepstakes.
The MMA world was left stunned Saturday night when it was revealed that Punk, real name Phillip Brooks, would be trading in tights and stage boots for cauliflower ears and a pair of four-ounce gloves.
“I’d say my professional wrestling days are over. I’m sure I’m going to have to do plenty of wrestling [in the cage],” said Punk.
Since the announcement, multiple UFC fighters, including middleweight contender Michael Bisping, have taken to Twitter to call out the former professional wrestler.
When teasing Punk’s arrival Friday, UFC President Dana White explained on The Jim Rome Showthat things would play out much differently for Punk in comparison to Brock Lesnar’s journey from WWE to UFC.
There weren’t any warm-up bouts for Lesnar, whose UFC debut came against former heavyweight champ Frank Mir. Unlike Punk, Lesnar had already competed once before entering the UFC. He also had a world-class wrestling background and an NCAA Division I heavyweight title to lean on.
If Punk is to fight someone with similar experience, Frank could make for an intriguing option.
The former actor, now an MMA fighter, boasts an unblemished professional record of 1-0 and a 4-0 amateur record. All of his wins have come by first-round finishes.
After hearing of Punk’s signing, Frank sent out a post on Instagram asking fans to help get the word out to White and the UFC regarding a possible fight between the former WWE champ and the Green Ranger.
Some will likely denounce this fight due to its gimmicky nature, but it couldn’t be any worse than Punk fighting a complete random with a 0-0 record off the streets.
If anything, Frank at least gives the UFC a familiar face to work with.
JordyMcElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
